What do you see when you look at these wildflowers, surrounded by snow? Do you immediately think, it’s too soon, they’ll freeze to death? Or do you see three little fighters making their way through the bitter cold to warm themselves in the sun? It’s that age old question, stated in a new way. Do you see the glass as half empty or half full?
Over the past fourteen months, even the optimists among us have, at times, seen that glass as half empty. Covid has, in one way or another, had a negative effect on all of us. It has cost some of us loved ones, others have seen their businesses close. It has cost our health care workers so very much, as they sacrificed time with their loved ones, to care for the sick and dying. To list all that we’ve collectively lost could cause us all to see the glass as completely empty and shattered; so, we won’t go any farther in that direction.
Let’s all look forward, with our glasses half full. Whether for or against the mandates, the combination of wearing masks + social distancing + a lot of hand washing, has helped cut not only the Covid cases, but the flu cases as well. The vaccine, whether for it or against it, is now available to many of us and is giving hope to those who have felt so very isolated. I can’t imagine there is anyone who hasn’t felt isolated, at one time or another over the past year.
Maine has been my home for thirty-two years. My sisters and mother are all in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. We haven’t been together in so long. With all of us vaccinated by mid-April, they’ll finally get to come up and see my grandson and meet my new granddaughter. We’ll be able to hug one another. There will undoubtedly be a great deal of laughter and there will also be tears. How wonderful it’ll be to fill that glass, to overflowing, with tears of joy.
It’s as if we’ve all been stopped, trapped in a miserable twisted traffic jam for a very long time. We’re going to be in the reduced speed zone as we all begin to move forward at once. We’ll need to continue to be cautious, until we can all get back up to speed and can go, go, go! It is said, “there’s a reason that your windshield is so much bigger than your rearview mirror.” Look at the numerous wonderful things that are ahead for all of us. Let’s all hope that the pandemic is soon a tiny spec in the rear view mirror, one which we’ll all be thrilled to leave far behind us.
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